wrist watch
Latest
Pebble team posts UI preview, provides an early look at how you'll interact with the E-Paper Watch
Sadly, Pebble won't be making its way to backers by its original September estimate, but the design team wants you to know that it's hard at work, traveling the world to source components, running shipping tests and spending time refining the user interface in order to provide a top-notch experience once you do receive your device in the mail. To that end, Martijn, the UI designer, has dropped by Vimeo to provide us with a "sneak peek" at the device's operation, including some demos on iOS and a connected prototyping board, using a custom tool that sends designs to the Pebble screen from any graphics program in real-time (a feature that will reportedly also be available in the SDK). From what we've seen, there appears to be plenty of space on the screen to show incoming calls, read emails with eight lines of text at a time, view appointment details, select songs and control volume, and, of course, see the current time. Commenters seem to be quite pleased with the design so far, and we have to agree -- it's a pretty slick UI. Jump past the break to see it in action.
Ziiiro Celeste watches tick off the hours in multi-hued fashion
Despite our fascination with all things high-tech and the fact that we've got a smartphone in our pocket at all times, we've got a serious soft spot for stylish and inventive timepieces. Ziiiro is one of those companies that consistently finds its way on to our wish lists with watches like the Orbit and Gravity. Celeste is its latest offering, which represents your linear travel through the fourth dimension as a pair of overlapping colored disks. As the partially transparent bands circle about, they blend together to create dynamic hues of blue and gray, on the Mono models, or green and blue, on the Colored editions. The watches are housed in matte-finished stainless steel in chrome, gunmetal or black. You can pre-order the Celeste Mono and Celeste Colored now for €149 ($205), and they'll start shipping on November 18th. Check out the video after the break to see it in action.
Garmin's Forerunner 910XT sport watch begs to become your new swimming buddy
After introducing the Forerunner 610 alongside its lineup of runner-friendly watches, Garmin has introduced a new high tech gadget that's targeted to hardcore swimmers and triathletes: enter the Forerunner 910XT. With a price tag of $400, it's certainly intended for the most dedicated (or affluent) jocks, but for the outlay of cash, you'll find it provides detailed metrics such as swim distance, pool lengths, along with stroke identification and count. It even goes so far as to report one's SWOLF score, which is a measure of a swimmer's efficiency (calculated as the number of strokes to swim a lap, plus the time to travel said distance). The Forerunner 910XT is water resistant to 50 meters, but it's certainly apt for use on dry land, too. For instance, it provides stats about one's elevation, heart rate and speed, and offers built-in GPS. The battery life is limited to 20 hours, although we'd imagine your endurance will give out long before that time. If you've found your new obsession, you'll find the full PR after the break.
TAG Heuer concept watch beats 3.6 million times per hour, $89,000 price tag gives heart palpitations
TAG Heuer's high-end concept chronograph is so precise, blink and you'll miss it -- literally. The Mikrotimer Flying 1000's watch movement runs at 500Hz. Compare that to other high-end chronos plodding along at 5Hz, and you start to see the sort of power and precision Team TAG are working with -- this mesmerizing piece of wrist jewelry is capable of banging out 3.6 million beats per hour. Initially planned as a one-off, the concept watch will now go on sale for a lucky few timepiece obsessives. Be prepared to reach for your severely over-burdened money clip, though; the price is set at €65,000 ($88,580), with a limited run of ten arriving before the end of the year. Gawp in awe at the brief video after the break. You may have to sell the Batmobile.
Casio's Bluetooth 4.0 G-Shock is water and shock-resistant, FCC-approved
The latest G-Shock watch from Casio boasts the usual array of shock and water-resistant claims, and now it can add FCC acceptance to the list, having passed through that government agency's approval process. So, why did this wristwatch hit the FCC in the first place? Well, the rugged little timekeeper is packing Bluetooth 4.0 in its bag of tricks, which lets the wearable gadget communicate with your smartphone. No word on a release date, but Casio did mention a fairly broad "some time in 2011" window when it was first announced back in March. Here's hoping that its FCC debut will speed the shock-filled process along.
Tokyoflash's Kisai Kaidoku LCD watch arrives 12 years too late for Neo, Trinity
There's something to be said about someone who'd rather strap an LCD full of words on their wrist instead of a tried-and-true pointer-based timepiece. Comically enough, that description is likely to flow across the LCD of Tokyoflash's new Kisai Kaidoku. This limited run watch is available with a black or white strap, and shockingly enough, was designed by a 15-year old by the name of Tynan Mayhew. The whole thing's water resistant, and the EL backlight enables nighttime viewing; unfortunately, it's hard to know just how long that CR2016 battery will last, but those who'd rather not think about such trivial matters can snag one now for $139.
Ziiiro Aurora and Orbit watches tell time with color, orbs of wonder
Time: how does it work? Well, the physicists are still trying to figure that out. And while they're tinkering with bosons and quarks and dark matter, the designers at Ziiiro are working on an equally important task: how to represent time, preferably in wrist-compatible form. Now they've got two new attempts, dubbed "Aurora" and "Orbit," that show time as a mix of colors or as a pair of circling orbs, respectively. They have about the same learning curve as earlier Ziiiro watches, and the company's website helpfully walks you through how to read them – "It's no rocket science at all!" If the designs are too minimalist for you, you can always treat yourself to Harry Winston's Opus Eleven. Otherwise, these will ship in late May and set you back €129 (about $184).
Harry Winston's Opus Eleven watch: mechanical masterpiece / bank breaker (video)
It's been a while since we gave Harry Winston's Opus watch any play, but some timepieces are just too lavish to pass up. Case in point: the Opus Eleven, designed by temporal taste-maker Denis Giguet of MCT. Aesthetically speaking, it's probably a touch too steampunk for some, but the way it tells time is straight up fascinating. Giguet points out the movement enlists 566 parts, a good deal of which are exposed in the main face -- the center piece displays the hour, while the upper right disc shows off the minutes. Now, it might look like a relatively minimal watch for Harry Winston, but its case is made of 18k white gold and sapphire crystal, and the Opus Eleven's definitely got a Winston-worthy price tag, ringing in at about $250,000. So if you've got a quarter of a mill just laying around, this is a definite contender for that stack of cash. Want to see all those tiny pieces in action? Check out the video after the break.
Timescape Sci-Fi watch makes you work for the time of day, looks good doing it (video)
If you're like us, you don't mind working that grey matter to tell the time, especially if the watch your wearing looks and acts like something ripped from the U.S.S. Enterprise. The Timescape Sci-Fi watch, thus named for its cryptic time telling interface, sports a chrome exterior and uses a series of blue LEDs to illuminate a rectangular grid, giving you unique temporal readouts. Each line contains a series of dots representing minutes or hours, with the vertical lines displaying hours, the first three horizontal lines showing five-minute increments, and the last row offering exact minutes. Sound complicated? Well it is, but sometimes looking good takes a little work -- you think Uhura rolls out of bed looking like that? The Timescape Sci-Fi watch is now on sale exclusively from Gadgets and Gear for $70, but if you just like staring at shiny flashy things, we've got a video of the timepiece after the jump.
HEX ships iPod nano watch band, dares you to destroy it (video)
It's highly improbable that you actually need yet another option when looking for a watch band to house your iPod nano 6G, but if that first-run version you sprung for is already in tatters, HEX has a little something worth considering. The company has just started shipping its HEX Watch Band in the US of A, with $29.95 netting you a soft, flexible band that requires no complicated plug-and-play action whatsoever. Just pop your nano into the face, strap it on your arm, and roll. It's designed to be remarkably rugged (as seen in a torture video just past the break), and the headphone socket is arranged in a way that nicely runs the cable up your arm towards your cranium. The only problem? Choosing which of the nine hues fits your personality best. %Gallery-112168%
iPod nano watch gets knocked off, has little to worry about it
There are run-of-the-mill KIRFs, above-average KIRFs, and this. While we've definitely been privy to a few comical iPhone / iPod knockoffs over the years, there's a certain layer of hilariousness to this one that just can't be beat. The iPod nano watch isn't even a genuine Apple product; in fact, it's simply a mod that's so easy, your mum could probably pull it off with minimal effort. That clearly hasn't stopped the factories in Shenzhen from churning out an iPod nano watch knockoff, complete with a 1.8-inch resistive touchscreen, inbuilt SIM card slot, Bluetooth, a microSD slot, FM radio tuner, a side-mounted camera sensor and a speaker for good measure. You'll even get a fancy "Slide to Unlock" screen before being able to dig into the underlying UI, but that chintzy plastic wrist strap all but destroys any respect it was hoping to garner. Thankfully, the unit you're peering at above is being dubbed an "engineering prototype," with the final version expected to boast a 3.5mm headphone jack and a modicum of self-worth. We'll see, won't we?
Ziiiro Gravity and Mercury watches coming soon to a wrist near you
They're here, well, almost. Two attractive and legible alternatives to the over designed watch, Ziiiro's Gravity and Mercury, are now available for pre-order. No, they can't tell you if it's snowing out like Fossil's Connected, and they won't bump your 2010 year in review playlist like an iPod nano watch, but they do tell time like no other -- quite literally. The Gravity and Mercury have taken Ziiiro's lofty goal of stylish utilitarianism from concept to reality. The watches function without any of the markings of standard analog timepieces, instead using a continuously rotating combination of two rings to make temporal distinctions. The tip of the inner ring represents the hour, while the tip of the outer ring denotes minutes, and a fading gradient tracks the passage of time. Ziiiro doesn't let form override function, but it doesn't skimp on aesthetics, either: Mercury, which touts a stainless steel band, comes in four different color schemes, while Gravity boasts a patent pending bracelet strap (a silicone-metal combo), available in six colors. Both watches also feature pop-out faces, allowing for a variety of Swatch watch-style face-band pairings. However, while they're both readable and fashionable, these low frills watches don't come cheap: prices range from €100 to €143, or about $130 to $175.
Frontal Concepts' Infuse iPod nano watch strap wins imaginary design award, our hearts
By now, you've decided if you're going to use Apple's iPod nano 6G as a watch. We obviously have our own feelings on the matter, but those who can't be bothered with actual functionality should definitely be looking in the direction of Frontal Concepts. This Australian outfit has just released its first product, and it's far and away the most sensibly designed iPod nano watch strap to date. Rather than just looping a band through the device's rear clip, the Infuse strap actually has a simple, one-click locking mechanism to keep your digital timepiece in position. It's also positioned to allow the audio cord to run upwards along the arm, and it's built from polycarbonate plastics and silicone -- plenty tough to withstand the occasional gym visit. Americans can get their pre-order in today for $24.95 (black, white and brown hues are available), with the first shipments expected to head out in around a fortnight. Time's ticking, Santa. %Gallery-109228%
Tokyoflash brings RPM LED wristwatch concept to reality (video)
Tokyoflash, purveyor of all things awesome when it comes to watches, has just unveiled its latest addition. If you're of the eagle-eyed variety, you've probably spotted it just to the right (or after the break in video form). The difference between this fellow and most of the timepieces found here is pretty simple: the RPM LED watch started as a fan render. Over the months, the company took this grand idea and made it a reality, now offering it to anyone with more money than sense. The operation is semi-simple -- the inner ring shows the hour, while the outer ring shows the minutes. There's a group of five LEDs at the top that further explains the latter, and we're hearing that the band itself pushes the IQ of the wearer higher by 12 to 15 points. Even if confirmed by a respected panel of mad scientists, we still say it's not worth the $208.42 asking price, but you're obviously free to disagree vehemently.
Manufacture Royale debuts $1.2 million Opera accordion watch, Sir Steampunk scoffs
Well, pardon us. We balked at the $208 price tag affixed to Tokyoflash's RPM LED wristwatch, but the value proposition there now looks an awful lot brighter when compared to this. Manufacture Royale's looking to catch at least one or two elitists off guard with its new Opera Time-Piece, a $1.2 million device that's composed of 319 parts in the wilds of Switzerland. Purportedly, it was designed by Fabrique du Temps, and the minute repeater plays the hours in the key of A as the minutes chime in C sharp. It's also encased in 18k gold, sapphire crystal and a healthy dose of self-worth. Word on the street has it that only a dozen of these will be made available for sale, with the accordion casing being the standout feature in our eyes. In a manner of speaking, of course.
Tokyoflash Wasted watch offers a safe, legal high that's much more expensive (and much less effective) than street drugs
Just when a Tokyoflash watch has reached the pinnacle of unreadability, it looks like the company has scaled things back slightly -- very, very, very slightly. Kisai's Wasted watch makes "your senses [come] alive" by turning the time display into a sort of psychedelic light show, one that it would take a modern day Timothy Leary to decode. It's apparently supposed to simulate some sort of hallucinatory state, although we're guessing that it's much more likely to give you a migraine. Rechargeable via USB, and available now for $85 plus shipping. Turn on, tune in, and click the source link to get started -- or peep the video after the break if you're uncertain, man.
Tokyoflash reaches new heights of unreadability with latest concept watch
Technically speaking, the maze-like array of diagonals you see above is actually showing you the time. But, as is Tokyoflash's wont, the point here isn't so much about time itself as it is about the journey of figuring it out. Well trained ninjas might be able to decouple the numbers from their unhelpfully similar background, but for the rest of us this "Optical Illusion" LED watch will be an enigma of random black lines wrapped inside a lime green mystery. Thankfully, it does come with a button to clear away the mists of confusion if you ever need to, you know, actually tell the time. The watch remains a concept for now, but if enough people vote in favor of its unnecessarily convoluted design, Tokyoflash might just go ahead and build a few. So why not jump off the fence and make your voice heard in the source below?
Incipio Linq keeps the iPod nano watch craze going with $25 'carrying solution'
Did you find the iLoveHandles iPod nano wrist strap a little bit too restrained? Never fear, Incipio has served up this new Linq case, which swells up the 6th-gen nano with an ostentatiously rugged shell, a velcro strap, and a couple of daring new color options. Whether you're a fan of baby pink or macho blue, there will be a Linq... just for you. Damn, you can build a whole advertising campaign around that. Anyhow, this new take on the iWatch concept will be available early next month for $25 with additional straps setting you back another $10. Or you can just buy a real watch -- the choice, as always, is yours.
Helium Digital HDBT-990 Bluetooth wristband gets reviewed, given 3.5 Jack Bauers
Looking to get a Bluetooth earpiece without actually upping your tool factor by 40x or so? Good luck. Helium Digital's so-called alternative (that'd be the HDBT-990 Bluetooth wristband) was recently reviewed by our iPhone-lovin' pals in the Great White North, and while they found it to work well when it came to handling calls without actually using the speaker and microphone within the iPhone 3GS, everything else about it was ho hum at best. There's no inbuilt LCD for watching Caller ID streams, the mini-USB jack was "flimsy," and there's still the issue of this unit being at least somewhat unsightly. It's also $90, which puts it just north of the all-important "ah, who cares" range for most of you price-conscience consumers. Hit the source link for their full impressions, but don't be shocked if you come away still in search of the aforementioned mystery device.
inPulse Smartwatch for BlackBerry up for pre-order, ships in February 2010
Just as we'd heard, RIM decided to outsource the production of the planet's first BlackBerry watch, but that doesn't mean that devoted BB Messenger users won't be hankerin' for one. The inPulse Smartwatch for BlackBerry is being produced by Allerta, and now that it's official, we can safely say that it'll rely on Bluetooth in order to bring incoming emails, text messages and other alerts from your handset to your wrist (or your ankle, if you roll like that). As for specs, you're looking at a 1.3-inch OLED display, glass lens, full metal body, vibrating motor, microUSB port and a rechargeable battery that's good for around four days of "normal use." inPulse users will have to install a special BlackBerry application in order to pass along information, but those hoping to use their watch to actually send messages will be sorely disappointed. It's up for pre-order now at $149, and if all goes well, the first ones will ship out in February.
